Diddy’s Sex Trafficking Trial: Abuse, Racketeering & ‘Freak-offs’

Various other descriptions of his claimed misuse in court on Monday consisted of an account of Combs tossing Ventura to the flooring of a lorry and stomping on her face, after that routing a whitewash dealt with by his staff to ensure she stayed at home for a week while recovery.

Day one of the second week of Sean “Diddy” Combs’ federal sex trafficking and racketeering test in Manhattan saw a flurry of task, as the jury was wrapped up after a complaint of racial bias from the defense team. On Monday, the test started in earnest with opening statements adhered to by testimony from 2 witnesses.

Opening Statements and Jury Selection

The defense informed the jury that this is just the tale of a rich Black male with eccentric sexual predispositions and envious females in his orbit that have actually come to be money grubbing for an item of his fortune. Geragos, that repeated the defense’s chatting points several times over her hour-plus declaration, put a fine point on the truth that Ventura did not submit a cops record but did file two multi-million buck lawsuits versus Combs. It was the next-day settlement of her fit by Combs that opened up the floodgates for the river of civil claims Combs now encounters.

Complying with numerous arguments throughout his examining by the prosecution, defense lawyer Xavier Donaldson took place the strike in cross-examining Phillip. Here it was disclosed that he didn’t also desire money throughout his experiences with the couple, telling the court, “” In my head, I was simply thrilled I was in this world and satisfied to be involved with individuals of such prestige.”.

Ventura was purportedly forced, by Combs, right into participating in “freak-offs,” primarily in hotel areas where she was force fed medicines, primarily Euphoria or MDMA, and participated in sex with “dozens upon lots” of male companions for many years as Combs would masturbate as he looked on. Johnson said some “freak-offs” lasted participants and days called for IV-drips to recover, Johnson told the jury. In a bid for forceful control over his girlfriend, Combs, who had actually authorized Sunderland to his Poor Young boy Records label for a 10-album offer (of which only one saw the light of day), threatened to destroy her songs career by launching videos of her appealing in sex with male companions, the feds assert.

Accusations of Forced ‘Freak-offs’

District attorney Emily Johnson spent considerably less time– regarding half an hour to Geragos’ hour– setting out the feds’ situation versus the fallen superstar to the jury: Over two decades, Combs conspired to use his organization and faithful team to stalk, abuse and pester using compelled sex and drug use with male prostitutes, 2 ladies in his life– ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura and a females he met in 2020 that is being described as Jane.

Court members additionally saw the contentious footage brought by district attorneys of the resort attack, in which Combs beats and kicks Ventura, after that throws a hotel flower holder at her. Shown in court were two cellular phone videos and 3 hotel monitoring video clips connected to the attack. Due to the fact that he wanted to define what he saw to his spouse, Florez told the court that he videotaped the hotel’s video clip of the attack on his cellphone.

Hotel Assault Footage Shown in Court

Court members also saw the controversial video footage brought by district attorneys of the resort assault, in which Combs beats and kicks Ventura, then throws a hotel vase at her. “Do not inform nobody,” Florez indicated Combs informed him. Florez recalled informing Combs, “I don’t want your cash. Another evening, he claims he experienced Combs become fierce with Sunderland, dragging her by the hair and slapping her in one more room after she told him to “hold on a second.”.

The 2nd alleged victim, Jane, is a single mother whom Combs satisfied in 2020 and dated among other romantic interests at the time. She is readied to testify that she was likewise persuaded into joining “freak-offs” at the rap magnate’s request. Jane confronted him when she uncovered his other love interests were taken on journeys and out for dishes. District attorneys say Combs beat her mercilessly in this minute, kicked down numerous doors as she ran and hid from him, after that placed her in a chokehold and kicked her to the ground prior to dashing off, late for a previously arranged “freak-off.”.

Jane’s Testimony: Abuse and Freak-offs

“Don’t inform no one,” Florez indicated Combs informed him. Florez recalled informing Combs, “I don’t desire your cash.

Combs– the 55-year-old rapper, manufacturer and fashion magnate whose rags-to-riches-to-near-billionaire standing New york city fairy tale involved an abrupt end last year with his apprehension and a five-count charge– stood in the court on Monday morning when lead lawyer Teny Geragos described him in her opening statements. The 2nd lead defense attorney told the court that Combs, charged by federal district attorneys of 20 years of misuse of ladies, trafficking of sex employees, and turning his songs and style empire right into a criminal enterprise, is no saint which he’s by all accounts guilty of residential misuse; yet that’s not what he’s charged with and why he should be discovered innocent.

Defense Strategy: Love, Envy, and Money

Before the jury was settled, the protection lobbed a “Batson obstacle” at the prosecution, essentially stating that the striking of eight Black potential jurors showed the feds were excluding prospective jurors based upon group qualities, such as race, gender, national origin, religious beliefs or sexual orientation. Yet the federal government fasted to shut this down, checking out off the legitimate factors the jurors concerned were struck: one appeared favorably likely towards 17 names she identified may come up at the test; another stated he would certainly lose out on 30 percent of his earnings by investing 8 weeks on the jury, however really did not seem troubled, which suggested to the feds he might have a program. Court Arun Subramanian overruled the Batson challenge and the jury was settled.

“Sean Combs is a difficult guy. This instance is concerning love, infidelity, cash and envy,” Geragos told the court, referring to what the protection says was the motivation of the ladies and alleged victims set to indicate.

On Monday, the day after Mommy’s Day, Combs’ mommy discovered her seat in the federal court room on the 24th flooring in lower Manhattan. As she rested, her now-grey-haired-and-bearded kid blew her a kiss. “Hi, mama, I enjoy you,” he mouthed to her.

Witness Testimony: Florez and Phillip

Complying with opening declarations, two males took the stand on Monday mid-day: Israel Florez, a former gatekeeper at the Intercontinental Resort in Los Angeles who witnessed and shot video footage of the rap mogul’s infamous 2016 assault on Ventura and Daniel Phillip, a male companion worked with for a so-called “freak off.”.

The night, which brought about him making love with Ventura as Combs saw in a white bathrobe, netted him a few thousand dollars and he was hired consistently to recreate the encounter, he claimed. At one factor, he affirmed, Combs required that a photo be taken of Phillip’s chauffeur’s license; the sex worker testified that he saw this as an intimidation tactic. Another night, he says he observed Combs come to be violent with Sunderland, dragging her by the hair and slapping her in another space after she informed him to “hang on a second.”.

Janice Combs and King Combs get here for the extension of the court selection stage of the Sean “Diddy” Combs trial at the Southern District Manhattan Federal court on May 12, 2025 in New York City City. (Image by John Lamparski/Getty Pictures).

Johnson opened up the situation against Combs by telling what the feds say is a story of one solitary night in the defendant’s life: learning that Ventura was out with an additional man, he and a bodyguard headed out to find them. In the process, the federal government says he woke and abducted among his staffers and stalked his on and off partner and when she was discovered, Combs “beat her completely, kicking her in the back and flinging her around like a cloth doll.” Other descriptions of his alleged misuse in court on Monday consisted of an account of Combs throwing Ventura to the floor of an automobile and stomping on her face, after that routing a whitewash dealt with by his team to guarantee she remained at home for a week while healing.

Phillips’ statement fixated the “freak-offs” he joined with the couple; especially, the sexual marathons were mostly referred to as “resort nights” by the defense. In 2012, the male pole dancer was invited by Ventura to satisfy the couple at the Gramercy Resort in Manhattan, he described. Putting on red shoelace lingerie when he arrived, Ventura first told him that she wished to do something unique for Combs. The evening began with a baby oil massage, he informed the court.